Underwater remotely operated vehicles (“ROVs”) routinely perform two different types of missions: reconnaissance and sample capture. In reconnaissance missions, an ROV is maneuvered to a particular location so that one or more cameras can record images or video of an intended target. A reconnaissance mission might include an integrity inspection of boat hulls, docks, pipes, water tanks, and other underwater structures. In these types of reconnaissance missions, the recorded images or video are analyzed to locate cracks, bulges, or other signals of structural fatigue and failure. Such missions may require sound and imaging equipment of differing quality and complexity.
In contrast to reconnaissance missions, sample capture missions involve an ROV collecting one or more target objects or fluids for surface-side analysis or disposition. For instance, ROVs may collect underwater sentiment samples, water samples, or aquatic life samples. In some examples, ROVs may even collect lost or forgotten human artifacts, such as pieces from a shipwreck or sunken treasure.
Oftentimes, sample capture containers are bulky and not especially designed for preserving a sample before it is brought to the surface. Some known sample capture containers are nothing more than nets or open boxes, which expose samples to different depths (and possibly damage) when brought to the surface of the water. Other known sample containers include open-ended cylinders or tubes. During operation, these containers collect surface water during an initial plunge, which is not effectively expelled at the sample collection depth. These containers permit water from different locations to be mixed, thereby contaminating the intended sample.